Senior defenseman Ryan Shea handed out two assists for the Huskies
Northeastern Clinches Playoff Berth With 2-1 Win Over Boston University
Senior defenseman Ryan Shea handed out two assists for the Huskies

BOSTON - Senior Patrick Harper scored his 14th goal of the season, but the Boston University men's ice hockey team fell to No. 16 Northeastern, 2-1, on Saturday afternoon at Agganis Arena.

BU (13-13-8, 10-9-5 Hockey East) finished sixth in the Hockey East standings and will travel to third-seeded UMass Lowell to begin a best-of-three quarterfinal series on Friday, March 13, at 7:15 p.m. Game two of the series will take place Saturday, March 14, at 6 p.m., with a third game scheduled for Sunday, March 15, at 4 p.m., if necessary.

Freshman Trevor Zegras and senior captain Patrick Curry both assisted on Harper's strike, which came 3:06 into the third period to cut the Northeastern (18-13-3, 11-12-1 HE) lead to just 2-1. The Terriers had several chances to equalize and played the final 1:44 of the contest with a 6-on-4 advantage thanks to a Husky penalty and the removal of graduate student Sam Tucker (24 saves) in favor of an extra attacker, but they were unable to get a second goal.


HOW IT HAPPENED

- BU began the game with a power-play chance after officials assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty to Northeastern backup netminder Curtis Frye.

- Northeastern scored a power-play goal 8:08 into the first period to take a 1-0 lead before Matt Filipe gave the Huskies a 2-0 lead just 43 seconds into the middle stanza.

- Harper got BU on the board early in the third period at the tail end of a power play. Curry won an offensive-zone draw back to Zegras, who shuffled the puck to Harper at the left point. Harper's shot appeared to have rung the post and stayed out; the game continued until the next whistle, when officials immediately reviewed the play. Replay confirmed that the puck did indeed cross the goal line.

- Harper nearly evened the score late in the period, but his shot from the top of the right circle undoubtedly hit the post and the Huskies escaped with the win.


GAME NOTES

- The Terriers honored their six-member senior class prior to their final home game and then celebrated the 25th anniversary of the 1994-95 NCAA championship team with a ceremony in the first intermission.

- BU held a 30-26 shot advantage.

- The Terriers went 1-for-6 on the power play while the Huskies went 1-for-2.


UP NEXT

- The Terriers will start their postseason on Friday (March 13) when they visit UMass Lowell in the opener of a best-of-three Hockey East quarterfinal series.

- Game time at Tsongas Center is set for 7:15 p.m.

- This marks the second consecutive season (and the third time in five years) that BU is heading to Lowell for the quarterfinals.

- The Terriers defeated the River Hawks in three games last season.

Game Summary

Saturday, March 7, 2020

2
1
Game statistics
26 Shots 30
1 / 3 Power Plays 1 / 6
6 / 12 PIM 3 / 6
18-13-3 Records 13-13-8
GOAL SCORERS
Northeastern Boston University
Aidan McDonough (11)
1st/8:08 PP
Matt Filipe (9)
3rd/0:43  GW
Patrick Harper (14)
3rd/3:06 PP
GOALTENDERS
Northeastern Boston University
Craig Pantano
59:56, 29 Saves, 1 GA
(W, 18-13-3)

Empty Net
0:04, 0 GA
Sam Tucker
58:14, 24 Saves, 2 GA
(L, 10-8-6)

Empty Net
1:46, 0 GA